150th Anniversary of Historical Train Event

Its the 151st anniversary of the Great LOCOMOTIVE Race involving the Union and Confederate troops. The General was one of those locomotives involved. Guess where it was built? Paterson NJ in what is now the Paterson Museum. Here is a press release about a pretty cool project we are involved in.

LCCA's 151ST Anniversary of The Great Train Chase of 1862 Special Event

The Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) is proud to announce a Special Event commemorating the 151st Anniversary of The Great Train Chase of 1862. We will host an all day event (April 13, 2013) in Paterson NJ to commemorate the 151st Anniversary of the Great Train Chase of 1862. We will have several activities planned at the Paterson Museum throughout the day with activities in the afternoon at the NJ Hi-Railers club followed by a private buffet dinner in the evening (see schedule of events below) . Our featured guest speaker, Dr. Richard Banz, Executive Director of Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw GA will make two brief, informative and entertaining "Stealing a General in Georgia" presentations. Bring the entire family and enjoy an entire day of Lionel Trains, Real Train history and Civil War Re-enactment activities and music.

Paterson Museum Activities

The Paterson Museum which will be open (with Free Admission) from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM is the site of the Rogers Works Factory for the Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor Company where the original General steam locomotives were built. The 12th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Company "K" Reenactment group will be on-site demonstrating encampment and daily life back in 1862. This group will do a demonstrations at 12:00 PM and then again at 2:00 PM. At 1:00 our featured guest speaker, Dr. Richard Banz, Executive Director of Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw GA will make a brief, informative and entertaining "Stealing a General in Georgia" presentation.

NJ Hi-Railers Club Activities

We will be at the NJ Hi-Railers Club in Paterson NJ for "The General Day" from 10:00-4:00 PM. Come and run your General trains on the 185' long NJ Hi-Railer's layout. The public is welcome and encouraged to come and enjoy the massive and highly detailed toy train layout. Come and see the layout used in the filming of a season ending episode of the HBO popular Cable TV Series "The Sopranos". The NJ Hi-Railers Club is also the home of the Standard Gage Lionel layout which was previously owned and operated by the late night TV show personality and avid Lionel train enthusiast, Tom Snyder. After Tom Snyder passed away, his lifelong companion Pam Burke donated this layout to the club.

At 3:00 PM LCCA Director Bill Schmeelk will provide a demonstration of the new LCCA/Lionel FasTrack Modular Railroad system. We believe this new, national modular layout standard will help introduce Lionel Trains and our toy train hobby to new people and to allow for people who do not have the space in their home for a full operating layout to run and enjoy their Lionel trains. Any company, group, school, city, or Scout organization can have a group project and participate in future LCCA Special Events with this new Lionel FasTrack Modular Railroad system.

Public $7/adult, kids free with accompanying parent.LCCA members $3/adult, kids free. Cash food bar.Featuring and encouraging people to run their Generals on your layout.Evening Dinner Event Commemorating the 151st Anniversary of the Great Train Chase

On Saturday, 4-13-13 from 5:00- ??? LCCA & NJ Hi-Railer members are invited for a private evening dinner and entertainment event commemorating the 151st Anniversary of the Great Train Chase of 1862.

This evening event is limited to LCCA and NJ Hi-Railers members only. For only $35/adult, kids under age of 18 years old $15/each members will have a full buffet dinner accompanied with a full schedule of entertainment and guest speakers.

Just before dinner, The 12th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Company "K" Reenactment group will provide a color guard. Guests will be entertained with Civil war themed music performed by The Libby Prison Minstrels. LCCA's Bill Schmeelk is also scheduled to perform his magic act. Our featured guest speaker Dr. Richard Banz, will give a presentation entitled "Stealing a General in Georgia" , A more detailed talk about the plot and drama of the Great Locomotive Chase as told by the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History. This daring adventure of Union spies to infiltrate behind enemy lines and capture a Confederate locomotive resulted in some of our nation's first Medals of Honor. What were the Raiders motives; why did their scheme fail, and how is the Chase still significant 151 years later?

We hope you bring your entire family and spend your whole day learning, enjoying and experiencing some living Civil War Railroad history at the Paterson Museum and experiencing the magic of Lionel trains at the NJ Hi-Railers club. We guarantee this will be a special, entertaining, educational, and most of all, a Fun-filled day. We hope to see you in Paterson NJ on April 13, 2013 to commemorate the 151st Anniversary of the Great Train Chase of 1862. See you there!

Al KolisImmediate Past President and Special Events ManagerLionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA)

12:00 PM Demonstration by the 12th NJ Volunteer Infantry Company "K"Reenactment Group1:00 Introduction of Dr. Richard Banz, Executive Director of SouthernMuseum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw GA. Richard willProvide a very brief "Stealing a General in Georgia" presentation.2:00 PM Demonstration by the 12th NJ Volunteer Infantry Company "K"Reenactment Group3:00 PM 30 minute concert by the Libby Prison Minstrels

NJ Hi-Railers Club Open House 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Run your "General" Trains on the NJ Hi-Railers Club's Impressive 185' long layout.

Get Vinny to cook us up some Shrimp 'n Grits and we will settle this like fat O-gaugers should, inluding a toddy or two.[and don't give me that crap about Southerners and grits--I first ate grits at my Grandparents farm in Dennison, Ohio--but no shrimp].

Get Vinny to cook us up some Shrimp 'n Grits and we will settle this like fat O-gaugers should, inluding a toddy or two.[and don't give me that crap about Southerners and grits--I first ate grits at my Grandparents farm in Dennison, Ohio--but no shrimp].

Get Vinny to cook us up some Shrimp 'n Grits and we will settle this like fat O-gaugers should, inluding a toddy or two.[and don't give me that crap about Southerners and grits--I first ate grits at my Grandparents farm in Dennison, Ohio--but no shrimp].

You should get Dave Allen to cook you up some sky prawns on his barbie.

LCCA's 151ST Anniversary of The Great Train Chase of 1862 Special Event

The Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) is proud to announce a Special Event commemorating the 151st Anniversary of The Great Train Chase of 1862. We will host an all day event (April 13, 2013) in Paterson NJ to commemorate the 151st Anniversary of the Great Train Chase of 1862.

Out of curiosity, why celebrate the 151st anniversary? Did the LCCA forget to celebrate the 150th anniversary last year, or are they the fun-loving type of group that looks for any reason to throw a party?

LCCA's 151ST Anniversary of The Great Train Chase of 1862 Special Event

The Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) is proud to announce a Special Event commemorating the 151st Anniversary of The Great Train Chase of 1862. We will host an all day event (April 13, 2013) in Paterson NJ to commemorate the 151st Anniversary of the Great Train Chase of 1862.

Out of curiosity, why celebrate the 151st anniversary? Did the LCCA forget to celebrate the 150th anniversary last year, or are they the fun-loving type of group that looks for any reason to throw a party?

Didn't fit into the schedules last year Doing it York week to cut down travel expenses

LCCA's 151ST Anniversary of The Great Train Chase of 1862 Special Event

The Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) is proud to announce a Special Event commemorating the 151st Anniversary of The Great Train Chase of 1862. We will host an all day event (April 13, 2013) in Paterson NJ to commemorate the 151st Anniversary of the Great Train Chase of 1862.

Out of curiosity, why celebrate the 151st anniversary? Did the LCCA forget to celebrate the 150th anniversary last year, or are they the fun-loving type of group that looks for any reason to throw a party?

Last year, on April 12, the LCCA was in Kennesaw GA commemorating this historic event at the Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History, the current home of the "General". We had a great event there, so this year we chose to go to the site where the generals were built. This should be a great, family oriented fun event for people with various interests to enjoy. This event will feature a combination of real train history, Civil War re-enactments, fabulous NJ Hi-Railers toy train Layout, Lionel trains, great food, music, magic and the camaraderie with the great members of the LCCA, NJ Hi-Railers Club, the people of the Paterson NJ and it's surrounding area. We also are a fun-loving group of people that enjoys a good party with toy trains too. Hope to see you there!

Nicole. Thank you. Now that was movie making. M-G-M at it's best. A simple set. Table, two chairs, flowers, tea pot and a sunset background. Three camera set ups with a cut away of the beach at the end. Yet it totally draws you in. Two pros and a great director pull it off in a grand manner. I have the blu-ray. I'm going to watch it again tonight. Thanks Don

I love the General. The Great Locomotive Chase was filmed on the Tallulah Falls Railroad which is my hometown railroad. I work for the Tallulah Falls Railroad museum and we actually have one of the boxcar's used in the movie. I actually am the photographer of these photo's. We do plan to restore the boxcar as it appeared in the movie. All the cars were built in Clayton Georgia in 1956 for the movie, and this is the only survivor.

When we moved it the car broke into millions of pieces. The car set in a Apple orchard under two trees for over sixty years so I would say it looks pretty good for the most part. Here it is before the move.